BULLETPROOF BENZ

The W123 series was launched in 1975 as a replacement for the so-called W114 series and according to Mercedes a wide range of styles was considered initially, ranging from staid saloons to wild fastback designs. In the end conservatism won the day and the neat if rather stodgy looking car we all know was born. The wide headlights differentiated it from the vertically-stacked lamps of its predecessor and gave it a family resemblance to the R107 SL and the newly launched S-Class.

One of the biggest concerns of the design team was to improve on the already very high levels of occupant safety offered by the previous car and to this end the W123 featured reinforced door beams and screen pillars creating an enormously strong passenger safety cell. This was boosted by the use of a collapsible safety steering column (patented by Mercedes in 1963) and of course later in its life the W123 was one of the first cars in its class to get ABS technology.